Valved coupling for hydraulic brakes



June 14, 1938. w. F. OLIVER 2,120,677

VALVED COUPLING FOR HYDRAULIC BRAKES Original Filed June 6, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fv" c:

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June 14, 1938. w. F. OLIVER 2,120,677

VALVED COUPLING FOR HYDRAULIC BRAKES l l'r iginal Filed June 6, 1952 2 Sheets-She't 2 INVENTOR. Mama-f0; /1/e 77 W /WATTORNEYS.

Patented June 14, 1938 Wallace F. Oliver, Detroit, Micln, assignor to Hydraulic Brake Company, Detroit, Mich., a

corporation of California Original application June 6, 1932, Serial No.

615,651, now Patent No. 2,065,017, dated December 22, 1936. Divided and this application June 30,1934, Serial No. 733,221

.3 Claims.

This invention relates to hydraulic brakes, and particularly to hydraulic brakes'adapted for use on automotive vehicles of the tractor and trailer type. i

In present trucking practice, it is common to provide a tractor vehicle utilized to haul one or more trailer vehicles readily attachable to and detachable from the tractor, vehicle.

An object of my invention is to provide a' novel means for coupling the braking mechanism of the trailer vehicle with that of the tractor vehicle.

Another object'is to provide means for positively sealing the fluid conduits on the'several vehicles when the braking systems of the vehicles are disconnected from each other. 7

Another object is to provide simple and effective means for maintaining the fluid in the brake mechanism of the tractor and trailer vehicles under pressure prior to an uncoupling operation.

Another object is to provide a coupling means for the conduits of tractor and trailer vehicles which may be connected and disconnected without the loss of fluid therefrom.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Fig. 1 is an elevation, partially in section, showing a tractor and trailer in coupled relation and illustrating the braking mechanism of the two vehicles;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view of the braking mechanism of the vehicles shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of the couplingmeans' for the brake mechanisms of the two vehicles;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the elements of the coupling mechanism shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a detail of the coupling means.

Referring to the drawings, ill-indicates a conventional automobile truck constituting the tractor vehicle, connected as by a pin and link coupling l2 with a trailer 14. The truck is provided with the usual brake pedal l6 pivoted as at l8 to the frame of the vehicle and provided with an arm attached to a link 22 for actuating a lever 20 splined to an oscillable shaft 26.

The shaft 26 extendsinto a housing 28 providing a fluid reservoir. This reservoir contains a compression cylinder 30 having therein a piston 32 adapted to be reciprocated by an arm 34 likewise splined-to the shaft 26. The reservoir 28, cylinder 30, and attendant mechanism, constitute a reservoir and a master cylinder unit of a bydraulic brake system which may be of any preferred type. r

The discharge end of the compression cylinder 30 communicates with conduits 36 leading to wheel cylinders 38. These wheel cylinders may be of any preferred type. As shown, the cylinders 38 are arranged between the separable ends of brake shoes t0 and t2 pivoted on a fixed support a 04 on an axle, and the brake shoesare returned to retracted position by a spring 46.

In the present instance, the foot pedal pressure is augmented by a vacuum booster comprising a vacuum cylinder 48 connected to the intake manifold 50 of a prime mover by a conduit 52 having interposeda valve 50 controlled by the position of the foot pedal, and the vacuum cylinder has a piston 56 connected to the link 22.

The discharge end of the compression cylinder 30 also communicates with a conduit 50 having a flexible section 60 leading to a coupling member 62 mounted on a pin 64 rotatable and vertically slidable in a bracket 66 secured to the truck frame. The coupling member 62 is' adaptable for cooperation with a similar coupling memberfiil,

similarly mounted on a pin i0 supported by a bracket 12 attached to the trailer frame.

The pin in is preferably coaxial with the pin of the coupling means l2. The coupling member 68 is connected to the flexible portion M of a conduit 16 having branches leading to wheel cyl- 3 inders l8 which may be identical with the Wheel cylinders on the truck. The brake shoes and attendant mechanism actuated by the wheel'cylinders 18 may be identical with that previously described as used on the truck.

Referring particularly to Figs. 3 to 6, inclusive, it is apparent that the coupling member 62 includes a cylinder in open communication with the flexible conduit portion 60. The cylinder 60 is closed at one end by a head 82 secured to the cylinder as by suitable bolts 84. The other end of the cylinder is provided with a valve seat 86 adapted to be closed by a valve 88 when the tractor and trailer are disconnected. I

The valve 88 has a valve stem 90 threadedly engaging a reduced extension 92 of the head 82 and is provided with a hand wheel 94 for opening and closing the valve. 98 are provided to prevent leakage around the valve stem. v

The cylinder 80 is provided with a flange I00 for retaining coupling sleeve I02 which is adapted to be threadedly engaged with the cylinder M of the complementary coupling member when the parts are in coupled relation. The cylinder H24 A packing 96 and gland nut connection with cylinder 88.

discharge end of the compression cylinder 30,

so that operation of the foot-pedal I6 will apply the brakes on both the tractor and trailer. If it be desired to disconnect the trailer from the tractor and leave the brakes of the trailer in set position, the driver firstd'epresses the foot-pedal I6 until the desired pressure iscreated on the brakes oi the tractor and trailer, whereupon the driver uses his other foot to move the slide II8 into engagement with one of the teeth I28 on the footpedal I6, thereby locking the foot pedal againstthe action of the return spring I22; and holding the brake systems of the tractor and trailer under pressure. The driver then descends from the cab of the truck and rotates the hand .wheels 94 and Ill to close the valves 88 and III].

The valve H0 is provided with a compressible gasket I24 of cork or other suitable material, which completely fills the very small space between the opposed ends of the valves, thereby preventing the presence of any liquid between the ends of the coupling members 62 and 68 when they are uncoupled, and thus avoiding any possibility of loss of fluid as a result of the uncoupling operation.

After valves 88 and H0 are tightly seated, the driver unscrews coupling ring I02 until the coupling members 62 and 68 are disconnected. After the coupling members 62 and 68 are disconnected, they may be swung so that their ends are no longer in contact, whereupon covers I26 and I28 may be moved to positions covering the ends 01 the coupling members, thereby protecting these ends from dirt and corrosion. The covers I26 and I28 are carried by rods I30 slidably mounted in pivot pins I32 and held in selected positions by springs I34. A

After the driver hasdisconnected the coupling members 62 and 68, he may withdraw the pin of the coupling I2, release the brake on the tractor by withdrawing the slide H8, and move the tractor away under its own power, leaving the trailer in any desired location with its brake set so that it cannot move therefrom.

It may be found desirable to move the trailer from place to place without first connecting it to a tractor, hence it is necessary to provide means for releasing the brakes on the trailer to permit such movement. For this purpose the brake mechanism 01 the trailer has acylinder I38 having therein a piston I36 normally maintained in its advanced position by a hand brake lever II having the usual ratchet mechanism I42.

When it is desired to move the trailer, it is only necessary to release the ratchet mechanism I42, thereby permitting the piston I38 to move to retracted position, whereupon the brakes on the trailer are immediately released. The trailer may then be pushed from one location to another, and when it is again desired to set the brakes of the trailer it is only necessary to pull back on the hand brake lever I68 to-advance the piston I38 and lock it in such advanced position. The cylinder I36 is preferably provided with a filling opening and removable cover therefor, indicated by the reference character I in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The present invention is a division of my pending application Ser. No. 615,651, filed June 6, 1932, and now Patent No. 2,065,017, granted Dec. 22, 1936, and is made in accordance with requirements of the United States Patent Office under provision of Rule 42.

It will be understood that various forms of the invention other than those described above may be used without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a pair of coupling members, each having an annular sealing surface and a valve seat, a valve associated with each of said seats, means for operating said valves, a compressible gasket forexpelling all fluid from between said coupling members prior to an uncoupling operation, and means for detachably connecting said coupling means.

2. In mechanism of the class described, the combination of a coupling member having a sealing surface, a valve seat adjacent said surface, a valve for coacting with said seat, means for closing said valve, a cover for said surface and valve, a pivotal mounting for said cover, and resilient I means for holding said cover in selected positions.

3. In mechanism of the class described, the

' combination of a pair of cylinders each having an annular sealing surface and a valve seat at one end and a head at its other end, means detachably connecting the cylinders with their annular sealing surfaces adjacent one another, a valve mounted in the head of each cylinder for cooperation with the'respective seats, means carried by one of the valves for expelling all fluid from between the valves, covers for the valve seats and valves, and means supporting the covers for movement into and from position including means for retainingv the covers in selective position.

WALLACE F. OLIVER. 

